1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector having utility in situations requiring high voltage and low inductance, as in the detonation of an explosive. An example is the interconnection through a bulkhead of a detonating cable having a small cross-section for an Exploding Foil Initiator (EFI). Discharging a high voltage, e.g., of about 2-10 KV, through a cable into an EFI in a near-instantaneous manner develops a large current pulse of about 4-10 K A through the detonator. This vaporizes the conductor propelling a thin film substrate on which the conductor is deposited into an explosive pellet positioned a short distance away, thereby initiating an explosion of the pellet.
2. Description of Related Art
To achieve the high currents and required rapid current resistance required in this type of system, a discharge circuit of low resistance and inductance is required. This circuit is typically a flat cable assembly with two conductors parallel to each other and separated by an insulating film. This cable is often connected to a Safe and Arm device via means known as a "Bullseye" connector. This connector maintains the hermeticity of the Safe and Arm device, while allowing the detonator cable to be detached for test and assembly.
The typical Bullseye connector has been used in Government weapons application for an number of years. The primary application has been nuclear weapons Safe and Arms and warhead firing systems. Therefore, there is little published data.
The prior art connector in use, i.e., Bullseye, is shown in FIG. 1. This system comprises a top section 10 having an internally threaded center 12 designed to be compatible with externally threaded center post 14 of bottom section 16. The threaded post positioned on bottom component 14 is also designed to be compatible with aperture 18 positioned on the stripline cable 20 shown in FIG. 2.
In operation, aperature 18 of a stripline cable having two copper conductors 19 parallel to each other, is positioned through post 14, and top section 10 is screwed into bottom section 16, so as to clamp the cable between the top and and bottom section.
The center post of this device is of a comparatively small cross section, whose narrow path increases the circuit's inductance. This can effect detonation performance in low-energy design. Another problem which can arise is that the stripeline conductor material can be torn or sheared by torquing the top section of the disc, which can tend to drag the conductor material, possibly wrinkling the stripline material. A further problem is the wide planar distance which must be allowed for insulation on the stripline cable. This is necessary to prevent arcing from one side of the cable through the post hole to the other side.